Using Virtual Reality to Improve Medical Training
As the U.S. population ages, future physicians must be prepared to care for older adults with multiple health conditions and complex needs. This study will test whether cinematic virtual reality (VR)-an immersive, interactive learning tool-is more effective than traditional lectures in helping medical students learn about geriatric care. Students who complete the VR training will experience realistic patient scenarios that show what can go wrong in medical care and learn how to apply osteopathic principles to…
Conditions studied
Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM), Geriatric Syndromes, Disability Hearing, Disability Physical, Urinary Tract Infection(UTI), Delirium Confusional State
About this study
As the U.S. population ages, future physicians must be prepared to care for older adults with multiple health conditions and complex needs. This study will test whether cinematic virtual reality (VR)-an immersive, interactive learning tool-is more effective than traditional lectures in helping medical students learn about geriatric care. Students who complete the VR training will experience realistic patient scenarios that show what can go wrong in medical care and learn how to apply osteopathic principles to improve outcomes. Researchers will compare students' performance on a clinical skills assessment and explore their experiences with the VR training. The goal is to determine whether cinematic virtual reality can better prepare students for residency and improve their ability to provide compassionate, high-quality care for older adults.
Interventions
- Behavioral: Cinematic Virtual Reality Training — The participants randomly assigned to the cinematic virtual reality training will view 6 virtual reality episodes of an older adult, Mr. Chen, with multiple geriatric syndromes, chronic health conditions, disabilities, and significant social needs, who is also vulnerable to elder abuse and neglect. The content will cover medication, mentation, mobility, what matters most for older adults, nutrition and hydration, and osteopathic tenets.
- Behavioral: Traditional Didactic Lecture — Participants randomized to the traditional didactic lecture will receive a lecture on geriatric care that includes medication, mentation, mobility, what matters most for older adults, nutrition and hydration, and osteopathic tenets.
Primary outcomes
- Number of Participants with Passing Score on Graduate Medical Education Readiness Assessment (From enrollment to the end of the graduate medical education readiness assessment at 6 weeks.)
Eligibility information
Study locations
- Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 United States
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. Record last refreshed by Varda Clinical: 2026-10-02.